1 August 2004 Scrivener Square Works, Even if You Don't Realize It It has been called "one of Toronto's great "lost" buildings," but no longer.   For decades, the old Canadian Pacific Railway station at Yonge and Summerhill was a mess. It had spent more time as a liquor store (74 years) than a passenger terminal (15 years) and, despite its elegance, it was hidden behind decades of grime and surrounded by an expanse of asphalt filled with cars. Even the clock at the top of its exquisite tower, a copy of the famous Campanile in St. Mark's Square in Venice, had been removed and replaced with plywood.   Now the station's transformation is complete. Its promise has been realized and once again it is fully connected to the city, an architectural and urban gem. Not surprisingly, the project won the 2004 Heritage Canada Corporate Prize. Even the clock has been restored.   Opened in 1916, this remarkable Beaux-Arts building became an instant landmark. Constructed of Tyndall limestone, it was intended as a monument as well as a symbol of a city with grand ambitions to beautify itself.   Nearly 90 years later, those ambitions have been fulfilled, at least in this tiny pocket of Toronto. Last year, the owners, Woodcliffe Corp., and its long-term tenant, the LCBO, refurbished the building. Ripping out acres of drywall and acoustical ceiling, they revealed a structure that dates from an age that took trains and the idea of public transportation seriously.   In 2000, they organized a competition to design the space in front of the station, now called Margaret Scrivener Square after the late MPP who represented the area for years. The winners, Toronto architect Stephen Teeple and artist Robert Fones, created a contemplative piazza where people can take a break, drink a coffee or simply watch the water, which forms a major element of the new square.   The highlight is a bronze "tipping fountain." It has a large horizontal trough that fills with water; once it reaches a certain point, it spills its load into the pool below. The cycle, which takes a minute or two to complete, exerts a decidedly hypnotic effect. According to Fones, "The mechanical motion of the fountain echoes the steam locomotives associated with the building's original use a train station. The timed tipping fountain also relates to the clock in the nearby tower as well as the former timetables of train arrivals and departures."   Though it's unlikely these allusions will occur to the average user, it hardly matters. We react to such features on many levels - emotional, physical, cerebral - without always knowing why. Indeed, the essence of good design lies in evoking specific responses, i.e. manipulating people without them being aware.   Fones and Teeple were also interested in the geological history of the site, which eons ago was under the waters of Lake Iroquois. Much of Scrivener Square appears to be situated on top of large pools of water that flow from east to west just below the surface. On the eastern half of the property, a series of concrete walls bend upward as if they had been folded back to expose what the designers call the "deeper tectonic forces."   The ground is concrete embellished with black granite edges and bands. Two rows of four ginkgo trees soften the hardness of these surfaces, though they have decades to go before reaching maturity. For seating, there are five benches. On the west side, along Yonge St. under the railway overpass, there's a cafe that animates the space effectively. It could be more of a presence, however. Given the amount of room, a few extra tables and umbrellas would enliven the square even more.   Of course, in this city, where many remain leery of the very idea of urbanism, some will view a place like Scrivener Square as a missed opportunity to green the downtown core. But it's important to remember that green space isn't necessarily the best way to enhance the public realm. This site, for example, is much too small to function as a park. Besides, it should complement the train station, not hide or disguise it. The intention is to create a local gathering place, not a playground or sports field.   "I've been putting this project together since 1987," says Woodcliffe executive vice-president Mitchell Cohen, sighing. "Finally, we got it done. We wanted something that would honour the history of the station, animate the space and become a focal point for the area. People have been saying we're crazy for years, but it's worked out great."   No doubt about that. Every community should have a place like this, especially in Toronto. We are, don't forget, the self-proclaimed city of neighbourhoods.